Episode 76 Naomi Beigel – Living Her Life To The Fullest

Naomi Beigel, a musician, suffered a stroke on April 8 of 2010, when she went in for a full hip replacement. This was not the first surgery she had after having aortic valve replacement done in 1989.

Naomi was in critical condition for three days. Doctors were very concerned that she would not make it. Naomi realized her left side didn’t work at all. But she was able to talk.

During that time, a nurse who came to do her vitals asked if she was a stroke patient. Naomi said no. And the nurse told her she was now. A male nurse asked Naomi to tell her husband she had a stroke. NO doctor visited him for several hours when he arrived at the hospital.

Initially, doctors told her husband she wouldn’t able to drive. They even canceled her car insurance.

Naomi never gave up. She was very aggressive with therapies. She staid in the hospital for over six weeks.

Since 2010 Naomi took on all kinds of occupational and physical therapies. She learned to set small and achievable goals. She worked through a lot of frustration and anger. Naomi is determined that she would live the lives the best she could. As her husband was nearing retirement, she didn’t want him to have to push a wheelchair around so she tried everything she could to learn to walk again. She even found a volunteering position at the local police department. This volunteer work helped her speech improve notably.

Naomi and her husband traveled at least three times to Hawaii then Aruba and St. Martin and a lot of family gatherings they had learned how to set up a bathroom so she could be safe in it.

In April 2017, the couple went on a 15-day cruise through the Panama Canal. Naomi did not know that her husband would fall sick after they landed back in LA May 4. She started to take care of him until he passed September 2 my life was taking care of him.

Naomi is now working to deal with the stroke and loss of her best friend for 52 years, her late husband, Rich.

Naomi has learned when she gets frustrated, she could say to herself three things she is grateful for that she can do. It does help. She is a firm believer where there is a will there is a way.